Railway axle journal lubricator



April 27, 1954 J. J. HENNl-:ssY 2,676,855

RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 27, l954 J. J. HENNEssY RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Filed Dec. 2l, 1950 Patented Apr. 27 195.4

' forfuse 4in fjour'nal `'bbx'es of Armerican Association that yit *is 'di'fcult to insert, Jremove, orpperate a pump"'as"shown'in the `ab'ovenne'ritioned patent or application.` K v "The main'objec't of *the `invention is to 'provide 'a simple, effectivep'umpWhichTequires 'littley'e'r- "ticalsp'ace for operation. Arnorelspecic'objeot is to eiectpumpin'g action by alternately lreducing and increasing the volurne` of "a A'iiexibie 'pump chamber "other than V:by 'direct *movement of the endsofthe chambertowards'andaway'fromeach other "as'sh'o'w'n in the copending"applicationjreferr'ed v"to above. v :This "may `be "done by y"twisting land 'untwistin'g *the pump "body *ab'out itsfl'ngitudinal'axis or by compressingtm jp'u'm'p laterally 'of its ends 'inthe accompanying drawingsrulustratingse;

'lecteii embodiments of the invention:

' 'Figure"`1 is ya fv'ertical "longitudinal "section 'fthrougha 'railway axle boxishwing the journal "on 'which the 'box'is "mounted andthe essential y jpar'ts'of the lubricator including 'thenovel pump -`structure.

ll'lig`t1re'2 is'ja torfvi'ew offth'epump and"`pu'mp operating structure and i's'drawn t'oan enlarged scale.

with adjacent ends L pi-vmefi 'to `learn :other zat ia. 'Thebuter "end ff Lfraaie B *bears lagainst; -theilower inner "corner -o'f thebox `vandl'the -ou'ter iframe 1 curved to contact LILthe lv'upwardly fand forwardly fextendingwall- 8-of1thefboxandftomounta yi-eld- "fing yoke A9: engaging vvadownwardlyiacing element "I-'gax "of 'the box Itopfw'all '10. v'type 'ff fdis- "tribiitor support #is lv'disclosed #and 'claimed sin my fc'o'pe'n'dingjapplication, Serial No. 16727-09, led '=Ju1i'e"*10,*19'50. DoWnwfard'thr-tist'jbylylesprings y-'I"Ijoi1th'e outer 'ends'of 1vTrame "I thrusts l'the dis- Il'tribuftor fupwardly against'fthefj-ournal.

IAbase 'l2 hasearsf'lhooked vover fram-e1 and the inner r`end of 'base +2 lm'ounts a retainer 14 forming with base I 2 a channel-like recess f5-ex- 'tending'horizontallyiin an are 'approximately 270 degrees uabout'th-e u'prighifaxis Aofth'e pump.

V'The pump comprises a `vcharrber 16, "preferably of cylindrical `shape, ithe sides being `formed -of V'flexible material, suchJ as''le'a'ther, I'preferably with `folds `and v*creases extending lengthwise *of v"the chamber. The'pump-"clrambe'rhasafbottomwall I 1 'apertured :at |8 `-and (provided `with `an "inlet check 'valve l'I `9 4'comprisinga ydisc loosely zheld rin positionby'icrsseistaples"20. :The upper end-of 4,the pump hasatopwalll providedwith a 'simijlar voutlet"ciheck ya1've'22 leading toan opening "23 :in'distributori. A

A'Chairiber lowerwalli'll is secured toaf'horizo'ntal -'rin`g YM having a "flange Z5 yfreely 'received `lin n"recess l' andprovidedwith an extension '2 6 ipro- Qjecti'n'g laterally 'of the :pump "chamber 'between *the spacedends of 'retainer 1'4.

'Ihe forward portion of'b'a'se l2 mounts a lever fulcriinred at 21 and .h'avi'ngan arm 28 with a-pin and slot'connection 29 'to extension :26 of ring24. The othervarm' 'of 'theleve'rhas Aa pivotalconnectio'n tat '3 I to *a 'Contact r0d13'2fthe'upper end 'fwhich isv eiquippedwith ahead 33 engagingthe outer tend `of journarz.

Astheljournal:plays crosswiseof the box and l,moves to the fleft from the vposition 'shown in `Figure y1, frod 32 .willswing-lever 328, 3D from .the full line-positien-.shown in Figure-2te the broken `w`linefpositionzand this movement of the-zleverwill `Itwisit tlie-wvalli of', pump chamber I 6- about axis ,-A, 'ias 'indicated in Figure 11, :thereby decreasing iits f'volume-irand" causing flubricantrin "the :chamber :to be discharged throughvalvelZZ'ftoithedistr-ibutor. lWhen '-j ournal 2 ymoves I'to the fright, abspring 34 lwill return 'lever 28, *30 to *its original `=posi-tion untwisting the Wall opum'pf chamber -fBincreasiing i the I'volume' of "the "chamber and resulting in the -iclosure VTo'fivalve "2 2. A"the V"opening of zvalve il 9 and the intake of lubricant from the lower portion of the journal box into the pump chamber.

Pump chamber I6 functions as a pump and at the same time constitutes a conduit leading from the lowermost portion of the box, which is a lubricant sump or reservoir, to the journal.

As the journal plays back and forth in the box, there will be a series of twistings and untwistings nf the pump chamber wall, with intermittent intakes and discharges of lubricant, maintaining a constant supply of lubricant to the distributor and journal. V

The pump is simple to construct and to install in an ordinary A. A. R. journal box and is readily received and operated in an application where the distance between the journal and the bottom of the box is as little as one and one-half inches which is about half of the normal clearance between the journal and the bottom of the box.

By varying the relation between the lever arms 26, 30, the amount of twisting of the pump chamber wall may be controlled as may be required to meet the amount of play of the journal in the box and other operating conditions.

In the arrangements shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, the journal, bearing, wedge, and box are substantially the same as previously described, but the distributor 40 is supported from the box bottom wall by coil springs 4I. The pump, and distributor, are spaced longitudinally of the box by a rod-like retainer 42 and a plate 43, secured at one edge to the left hand end of the retainer by weld W and having its edges flanged downwardly as at 44 and preferably welded to the box at W.

The pump actuating mechanism comprises a support block 45 seated on the box bottom w'all and fitting within an opening in plate 43. A lever 46 is pivoted at 4l on block 45 and the upper end of the lever bears against the end of the journal and is moved to the left of the box as the journal moves between the full line and broken line positions. A plunger 48 slides horizontallyY in a bearing 46 therefor in block 45 and the left hand end of the plunger has a pin 50, received in a slot in the lower en-d of levert.`

The pump body 52 comp-rises a chamber, substantially rectangular in cross section and elongated transversely of the box. The lower and upper walls 53, 54, respectively, of pump body are apertured for the admission and discharge of lubricant and the apertures are fitted with ap valves providing for admission of lubricant from the bottom of the box through bottom wall 53 when the pump chamber is expanded and for discharge of lubricant through the top wall 54 when the chamber is 4reduced in volume.

To effect the change in volume of the chamber, one wall 55 is formed of leather or like material and of sucient area to be bulged outwardly of the chamber, as shown in Figure 1, or to be moved inwardly of the chamber as lever 46 and plunger 48 are shifted by the play of the journal in the box. The pump inner wall 56 is relatively rigid and is backed up by a clip 51, secured to retainer 42. A spring 58 is compressed between walls 55 and 56 and tends to bulge wall 56 outwardly and return plunger 48 and lever 46 to the position shown in Figure l whenever the journal moves to the right.

Wall 56 may have some flexibility and the pump body top land bottom walls may be thrust apart `by a-spring 59 to accommodate variation in the distance between the box `bottom wall and the distributor and journal. Preferably, acoilspring 60 bears against each valve on the pump top wall and avoids flow of lubricant downwardly from the distributor, irrespective of the action of plunger 48 and spring 56.

By changing the length of the pump body, the capacity of the pump may be Varied to meet different conditions. The curvature of the bottom wall of the pump and the provision of clips near the ends of this wall, and at a higher level than the aperture near the middle of the wall, will Venable lubricant to flow into the pump, even though there is an accumulation of water in the bottom of the box from moisture condensation or from box leakage.

With this arrangement there is less crimping or less creasing of the leather than in the arrangement previously described and, as indicated above, the capacity of the pump may be changed readily, by varying the length of the pump chamber, without varying the lever stroke.

The details of the structures may be varied otherwise than as described about without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a lubricant distributor for application to the underside of a journal, a base spaced below said distributor, a chamber having walls of flexible material with folds extending lengthwise and extending from said base to said distributor, intake and outlet check valves in the lower and upper portions respectively of said chamber, a member associated with the lower portion of the chamber and movable to twistthe chamber about its axis to reduce its volume, and a device extending upwardly from said member and having a part facing towards said distributor but spaced therefrom and operable by contact with a journal shifting lengthwise of the distributor to accommodate said member.

2. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a lubricant distributor for application to a journal, a base below said distributor and spaced therefrom, a member rotatable on said base about an upright axis, a conduit of exible material with its upper end secured to said distributor and its lower end secured to said member, inlet and outlet check valves in theupper and lower portions, respectively, of said conduit, a horizontally disposed lever having an upright pivot on said base and an arm operatively vconnectedto said Vmember and an actuating arm, there being a device extending upwardly rom said actuating arm and having a part facing towards but spaced from said distributor for contact `with the end of a journal to which the distributor is applied.

3. In combination with a railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon, a lubricant distributor applied tothe bottom vof the journal, a support for said distributor mounted on the bottom of the box, an elongated chamber of leatherlike material depending by its upper end from the distributor, inlet and outlet checkvalves in the lower and upperportions of said chamber, respectively, an operating member movably mounted in the 'box andrhaving a partopposing the end of the journal, a device4 movable horizontally and operatively attached to the lower portion of said ehamberduring such movement, `and an operative connection between said member and said device. Y Y l 4. In combination .witha railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon. a lubricant distributor applied to the bottom of the journal, a supporting frame for said distributor mounted on the bottom of the |box, a chamber of leather-like material depending from the distributor, inlet and outlet check valves in the lower and upper portions of said chamber, respectively, an operating member movably mounted in the box and having a part opposingthe end of the journal, a lateral extension on the lower portion of said chamber, and a lever pivoted on said frame with one arm connected to said operating member, and the other arm connected to said extension.

5. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a base, a retainer cooperating with said base to form an arcuate recess exceeding 180, a disc-like member rotatable in said recess, a cylinder of leather-like material having its lower end closed by said member, a disc-like member closing the upper end of said cylinder, inlet and outlet check valves in said lower and upper members, respectively, a device for rotating the lower member While the upper member is held against rotation, whereby the chamber is twisted and untwisted and its volume is decreased and increased alternately.

6. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a support structure, a lever fulcrumed on said structure with one arm extending upwardly therefrom and disposed to engage the end of a journal to which the lubricator may be applied, a pumping device associated with said structure and including a chamber having a flexible side wall and a spring thrusting said wall outwardly of the chamber, there being check valves leading into and out of said chamber, and an operative connection between said lever and said wall for moving the latter inwardly of the chamber against the thrust of said spring.

7. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a support structure1 a pumping device associated with said structure and including a collapsible chamber, one side wall of which is backed by a portion of said structure and the opposite side wall of which may ex inwardly and outwardly of said chamber, a lever fulcrumed on said structure with one arm disposed to engage a portion of a journal to which the journal may be applied, a member operable by another arm of said lever for moving said flexible wall inwardly of the pump chamber, and a spring compressed between said walls.

8. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a support structure, a lever fulcrumed on said structure with one arm extending upwardly from the support structure and disposed to engage an end i portion of a journal to which the lubricato-r may be applied, a horizontal reciprocating member operable by another arm of said lever', and a pumping device associated with said structure and including a chamber having a Ilexible side wall and yielding means opposing said member, there being inlet and discharge check valves in said chamber. Y

9. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a support structure, an upright lever fulcrumed on said structure with its upper arm disposed to engage the end of a journal to which the lubricator is applied, and a pumping device associated with said structure and having a ilexible side Wall, a member movable horizontally by a thrust from said lever to distort said wall as said lever is moved in one direction about its fulcrum, and means for returning said wall to normal position and moving said lever in the opposite direction about its fulcrum when said lever thrust is released.

10. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a pump including a chamber with a exible upright wall, there being inlet and outlet check valves at the bottom and top of said chamber respectively, a device associated with the pump and movable in a direction transversely of the axis of said chamber for distorting said wall inwardly of said chamber, and structure operably connected to said device and having a part for engaging an end portion of a journal to which the lubricator is applied to be actuated thereby.

11. In a railway axle journal lubricator, an elongated lubricant distributor having an upwardly facing surface concaved transversely of its length for application to the underside of a journal to be lubricated, an elongated conduit of fiexible material depending from said distributor, intake and outlet check valves in said conduit spaced substantially from each other vertically, the lower end of said conduit being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the conduit and relative to the upper end of the conduit, a member reciprocable lengthwise of said distributor and connected to the lower end'of said conduit for alternately twisting said conduit about its longitudinal axis to reduce and increase its volume, and a device operatively connected to said member and having an element above the level of said distributor and facing towards but spaced from one end of said distributor so as to engage the end of a journal to which the distributor is applied.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 11,559 Pease Aug. 22, 1854 86,421 Lane Feb. 2, 1869 194,010 Stewart Aug. 7, 1877 348,361 Van Order Aug. 31, 1886 2,182,205 Hennessy Dec. 5, 1939 2,476,545 Hayward July 19, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,152 Great Britain 1904 21,333 Great Britain 1902 

